In his Q&A Jeremy Corbyn refused to rule out Labour holding a second Brexit referendum, on the final deal. (See 11.12am.) John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, was in the audience and afterwards, when approached by reporters, McDonnell repeatedly refused to rule out a second referendum, the Telegraph’s Kate McCann reports.

Kate McCann (@KateEMcCann)

Both Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell refused to rule out offering a second referendum. McDonnell asked at least 10 times.

If Labour were to offer a second referendum on the final Brexit deal, that might go a long way towards neutralising the Lib Dems, whose anti-Brexit stance appeals to Labour remainers. But any offer from Labour might have limited credibility because the party refused to vote for a second referendum when the Lib Dems proposed an amendment on this when the article 50 bill was going through the Commons. And, if Labour were to offer a second referendum, May would immediately accuse Corbyn of collaborating with what the Daily Mail calls the Brexit “saboteurs”.

Fiona Mactaggart quits parliament, saying she is losing her passion for politics

The Labour MP Fiona Mactaggart has announced that she is standing down from parliament. She represents Slough, where she had a majority of 7,336 over the Conservatives at the last election.

She has announced her decision in an email to local party members. It is rather melancholic. Here’s an extract.

And through parliament I have helped to build a fairer society, making sure that the voices of women, including women of south Asian descent are heard in parliament. I have stuck my neck out to persuade Labour and Conservative governments to back changes which were not immediately popular: granting full British citizenship to people who were British overseas citizens and had no other nationality, making big companies publish information about slavery in their supply chains are just two examples.

But people in Slough still face many problems. For some years now I have had to tell constituents living in miserable overpriced and overcrowded homes that they are unlikely to qualify for a secure tenancy that they can afford. I have been frustrated by cruel immigration rules which prevent families from living together in this country where they are citizens while inefficient administration means that some people easily flout the rules. I am embarrassed to discuss with our headteachers how they will cut spending to fit the meagre budgets they face. I have been depressed by the way the fantastic capacity in the voluntary sector is being run down by lack of funds or poor leadership. I have been bored by political squabbles over personalities and I know I don’t still have the passion which has driven my politics for 20 years.

So I have decided to give someone else a chance to do the wonderful job which I have been privileged to hold for so long.

Q: [From Paul Waugh from the Huffington Post] How are you going to change the rigged system? And was New Labour part of it?

Corbyn says multinationals pay around with pricing systems, to earn money in one country but pay tax in another. And governments are far to ready to negotiate with companies to allow them to avoid tax. He says ordinary people cannot ring up HMRC and offer to pay only some tax. That is why Labour is saying large and medium corporations should publish their tax returns, so everyone can see what is going on.

He says if corporations do not pay tax, the burden falls on small businesses, who have to pay tax, and people who rely on services.

John McDonnell will chase down this missing tax, he says.

He says Labour is campaiging all over the country, and putting forward policies that will benefit everyone.

Q: [From Sky’s Tamara Cohen] Some in Labour want you to promise a second referendum on the Brexit deal. Will you propose that or rule it out?

Corbyn says Labour has set out its Brexit policy. It wants tariff-free access to the single market.

Walking away, and trading under WTO rules, would mean manufacturing in this country would be severely damaged.

Threatening to turn the UK into a tax haven “is not a sensible way of negotiating”, he says.

He says he has held talks with fellow European socialist parties.

He accepts the result of the referendum. But we still have to work with Europe, he says.

Corbyn refuses to rule out a second referendum on Brexit.

Q: [From the BBC’s Martha Kearney] You have outlined a number of policies recently. Do you worry that your policies are popular, but that Labour has become a tainted brand?

He says people in the audience are wearing Keir Hardie badges. He was vilified when he was first elected. Anyone who stands up to create a decent party gets vilified. But he will continue to stand up for decency and ordinary people.

This gets a huge round of applause. It is a very effective soundbite. I will post the full quote later.

The Labour MP Dawn Butler, who has been chairing, ends with a joke. There is one indisputable fact, she says: June always marks the end of May.

Corbyn's Q&A

Q: {From the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg] What do you hope to show voters that they have not seen over the last two years.

Q: [From 5 News’s Andy Bell] Will you raise taxes? And who will pay more?

Corbyn says this is an opportunity to get a message of hope and opportunity out. That people do not have to be homeless, and that people do not need to wait for hospital treatment.

He has set out some policies in recent days, on the minimum wage, on the carer’s allowance, on school meals.

His message is one of social inclusion, he says.

He says he will be travelling the length and breath of this country to get that message across.

His plans are fully costed.

And at the top end he won’t be cutting corporation tax, or handing £70bn back to the wealthiest corporations and people.

This government has got us into more debt than any other Labour government in history to cut services and cut taxes.

Q: [From ITV’s Libby Wiener] Your poll ratings suggest people do not believe you. And you attack the elite. But aren’t you just part of an Islington elite.

Labour activists boo this question.

Corbyn says he is proud to represent Islingtion North. And it is true that there are people their who drink cappuccinos. But 40% of children live in poverty. It is not the case the everyone lives a life of Riley. House prices are driving people out. He wants a government that will invest in those places.

He wants to govern for the whole country.

He says it was kind of Wiener to mention the polls. But in 2015 he was given 200 to 1 as an outside chance.

Theresa May will insist that this is an election about Brexit. She will try to downplay the issues that affect people’s lives every day and instead turn the election into an ego trip about her own failing leadership and the machinations of the coming negotiations in Brussels.

It is only Labour that will focus on what kind of country we want to have after Brexit.

That is why we will prove the establishment experts wrong and change the direction of this election. Because the British people know that they are the true wealth creators, held back by a system rigged for the wealth extractors.

Corbyn says irresponsible businesses should worry about a Labour government.

If I were Southern Rail or Philip Green, I’d be worried about a Labour government.

If I were Mike Ashley or the CEO of a tax avoiding multinational corporation, I’d want to see a Tory victory.

Why? Because those are the people who are monopolising the wealth that should be shared by each and every one of us in this country. Everyone, and I mean everyone, has a contribution to make and a life to lead. Poverty and homelessness are a disaster for the individual and a loss to all of us.

It is wealth that should belong to the majority and not a tiny minority.

Labour is the party that will put the interests of the majority first, while the Tories only really care about those who already have so much.

The Conservatives boast of record numbers of jobs. But what good is that if people in work are getting poorer and don’t share in the profits of that economy while the Conservatives look after the wealthy few? Our offer is to tackle elderly poverty and loneliness, invest in our economy, NHS and schools, to improve rights at work and the £10 living wage.